Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

A family story is that John Davies, b 1840, a mariner, died in a train accident 1901-1904. John was a widower in 1901 Census living in Liverpool. I have had negative results looking for a death for him in this period and I wonder if anyone has info on serious train accidents in the area around that time. I know there is a publication on this subject but would it list fatalities?? If he died in such a way his death registration could be anywhere...can anyone recommend a practical way of searching for this death - from Canada?

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We've just recently had another similar query, if you would like to see what suggestions were made check here http://liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/phpBB ... php?t=9798

The Railways Archive would be the place to check although there may not be any names given, it would be a case of matching up an accident date with a death date.

Most fatalities would have been reported in the local newspaper, but you would need to know where the accident happened. If indeed the tragedy took place post 1900, the newspapers for Liverpool aren't yet online, it might necessitate paying a researcher to find the report.

Thank you, Mary, I think the train accident at Waterloo (July 1903, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) in which 6 people were killed could be the one if in fact the story is true. The accident reports don't name the people killed or injured! I'll look for any papers extant at the time in the area and see what comes up.

This site gives the names of the dead in the 1903 Waterloo railway accident.

www.old-liverpool.co.uk/southport1903

There is no John Davies listed.

Hilary
Ed Officer

This site gives a link to a list of the dead in the Hall Road accident in 1905

www.dumbill.co.uk/disasters.htm

again no John Davies

Hilary
Ed Officer

Thanks John, I guess I have to keep looking...

My name is not John!

Hilary
Ed Officer

PS I would concentrate on trying to find a death certificate for your man. Is he on the 1911 census?

Dear Ed!! (I guess I'm closer to senility than I thought .

No, John Davies, mariner, born 1840 in Llanengan, Caernarvonshire, is not in the 1911 Census at least as far as I can determine. Anyway he is supposed to have died before his son William emigrated on 1st of March 1904.

Ed, I have been searching for his death and have had 2 negatives from Liverpool R.O. I've tried to correlate the John Davies in the 1901 Census with the death Indexes at FreeBMD and based on that am presently waiting for a reply from Liverpool RO on a 1st qtr 1904 W. Derby record.

And further to that...Hilary, I am new to this board and in fact haven't used boards much in my research, so please forgive me for misidentifying you, as "Ed"!! I will try to be more careful in future postings.